Probation Officers Help Hospitalized Children In Hyannis

HYANNIS, MA — A nighttime hospital stay can be scary for a child, but a team of state workers has tried to make the experience a little easier at Cape Cod Hospital.

Barnstable County probation officers and staff recently gave their time to assemble overnight kits for children facing stays at the 259-bed facility in downtown Hyannis.

The volunteers created 40 of the kits, according to a news release. Each included personal care necessities such as toothbrushes and socks, and there were ingredients for fun as well – coloring supplies, word games, stickers and more.

The Probation Department worked with a local nonprofit, the Happy Hope Foundation, to obtain the items and then put the care packages together.

Founded 15 years ago and based in Pocasset, Happy Hope provides curated “Happy Hope Bags” to children who are hospitalized, in foster care or dealing with other crises. The organization says it partners with volunteers to assemble the bags, “aiming to provide joy and distraction to children in need.”